“I prefer an energy drink after I have eaten my iftar meal,” said 22-year-old Saudi Afnan Labban. “It gives me a pick-me-up to go shopping and to enjoy other Ramadan activities with my family and friends.”
Faiz Al-Otaibi, a 19-year-old Makkawi, said using energy drinks has “become the newest way we have found of beating the fatigue we feel after fasting and allowing us to go out with our friends to clubs and malls.”
However, nutritionists advise against using such beverages to break fasts.
“After fasting the body is in need of fluids to cleanse and replenish the body as well as help moderately adjust sugar levels in the blood,” said Dr. Khalid Madani, general supervisor of the Nutrition Department at the Ministry of Health and vice president of the Saudi Society for Food and Nutrition.
“Consuming energy drinks which are high in sugar and caffeine can cause many health problems, such as kidney and liver damage and cause conditions such as diabetes and symptoms such as dizziness, nervousness, and severe headaches.”
Water is considered the best fluid to drink during fast-breaking. A recent article by researchers at Nova Southeastern University in the US state of Florida — published in The Physician and Sportsmedicine journal — said energy drinks “may cause adverse effects, particularly with high episodic consumption.”
Energy drinks contain as much as 505 mg of caffeine in a single 355 ml can, the same as contained in 14 cans of cola, in addition to high amounts of sugar and taurine.
Stephanie Ballard, one of the US researchers who coauthored the article also said there is conflicting evidence about whether these drinks contribute to weight loss.
Ballard also indicated that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined the acceptable amount of caffeine to be 71 mg in a 355 ml can while energy drinks contain 505 mg in the same container.
“Many people think that one cannot overdose on caffeine, but it is a drug as any other and consumption of too much caffeine whether from energy drinks or other sources can cause sleepy and nervous tension, osteoporosis, heart disease, vascular problems as well as complications in the intestine and even death,” she said.
Saleh Bawazir, vice president of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), in a previous interview with Arab News concerning energy drinks, said he is not aware of any complaints concerning local products but said if consumers do find a problem they can lodge their complaints at their website at: www.sfda.gov.sa
